Spring semester is coming to an end and summer vacation is about to begin, so many people might use this time to take vacations and do a little shopping and pampering.

This can be difficult for college students who are low on funds. The average income for a college student, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, is $14,400. After books, supplies and living expenses, there is almost no money left to spend on fun things during the summer. Fortunately, there are ways to save.

Travel

One of the best ways to save on travel is to go on phone apps such as Groupon and find local deals.

Diamelle Abalos, the administrative department coordinator for the Finance Department at Stan State said that it is good to check Groupon because they sometimes have coupons for additional savings.

When traveling, it is also good to check the smaller airlines for deals.

“The best deals is to go through Allegiant, which is not a huge airline. They have last minute deals and you can fly right out of Stockton,” Abalos said.

Amtrak is also a good alternative to driving or flying for students here in Turlock with a station in Denair.

“Sometimes it’s even cheaper to take Amtrak to go to Los Angeles,” Abalos said

Abalos enjoyed using Amtrak on trips to Los Angeles because she can relax and not worry about driving. The ride is also fairly quick.

“Our valley has beautiful scenery that you can visit for free. We have local campgrounds where you can bring your own stuff and make it as cost efficient as you want,” Abalos said.

It may also be good to stay on the lookout for places that give coupons to local amusement parks and attractions such as Santa Cruz, Six Flags, and local water parks.

If you are planning on a big road trip, it may be good to go in groups.

“Going on road trips with bigger groups where everyone pitches in is a lot of fun. You can make stops on the way and everyone pitches in for everything,” Rachel Gonzalez (junior, Psychology) said.
Dining

Using phone apps is also good for finding deals on food. It may also be a good habit to join rewards programs if restaurants offer them. Often there will be offers for free food, especially for birthdays.

“Everytime I’m in a different state, I get on Groupon while I’m in the hotel, so I can figure out what I want to eat next,” Abalos said.

Karen Ramos (junior, Psychology) said, “Setting a limit for eating out is important.” The cost of food may add up quickly, so it may be important to budget appropriately for your trip. 

Clothes

Keeping up with summer fashion can also be expensive. There are ways to look nice and save money at the same time such as keeping track of upcoming sales or going to discount stores.

“I go to a lot of stores like Ross, Marshalls and  T.J.Maxx. I know a lot of people never set foot in there, but they have a lot of cute styles. They have a lot of brands as well, and it’s a lot cheaper than if you went to the actual brands store,” Gonzalez said.

You can even find great deals at thrift stores, which Ramos is fond of doing. However, you may want to wash your trendy deals when you get home.

“I’m more of a thrift store kind of person. I love thrift shopping. I can spend hours there. It’s so cheap and everything is in pretty good condition,” Ramos said.

Pampering

Summer vacation is also a good opportunity to spend more time on your self- care and pampering. There are also affordable ways to do so.

“Around flip-flop season, local nail shops will have great deals,” Abalos said.

Abalos also suggested visiting local beauty schools for low-cost pampering services.

It may also be a good time to call your friends over and have a spa day at home. You can bring supplies, snacks, music and movies.

“We pamper ourselves with stuff we already have. It’s also fun to get some time in with your friends,” Abalos said. “Whatever you do is always fun in good company, and that’s always free.”